Fussiness during teething is not always related to the actual teething. Understanding the signs of teething and when to contact your physician about your baby's fussiness can better prepare your for treating your child properly. If the fussiness is truly a symptom of teething, there are a few ways to provide relief to your child so he can rest and experience less irritability.
Teething Signs
When your baby is teething, his gums can appear red or swollen; you might notice a tooth starting to poke through. Other warning signs include if your baby is drooling more than usual and chewing on his hand or other objects. Along with the pain he experiences in his mouth, your baby may also develop diarrhea, a cough or a low-grade fever. Contact your physician if your baby has a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit if he is younger than 6 months or 103 F if he is older than 6 months to rule out other illnesses.
Fussiness
Fussiness is common when babies are experiencing the discomfort of teething. Your teething baby may become cranky, cry more and be more difficult to comfort while he is teething. Since a tooth can take several weeks to break through, the fussiness may last on and off some time if teething causes him pain or makes him feel unwell.
Nighttime Fussiness
Your baby may start to wake up more often during the night after he reaches the age of 4 months due to teething, according to AskDrSears.com. If your baby is waking at night, but generally happy during the day, the cause may be unrelated to teething. Determine if there are other factors contributing to his night waking. If your baby is truly fussy at nighttime due to teething, giving him acetaminophen or Ibuprofen may relieve the pain enough to allow him to sleep soundly; administer the correct dosage based on the package instructions or contact your physician to get approval and for assistance in determining the proper dosage.
Easing Fussiness
To relieve the pain and discomfort associated with teething, offer your baby something to chew on that's hard and cold. Teething rings that you keep in the refrigerator or freezer work for many infants, as do wet, cold washcloths and frozen bagels --- though keep a close eye on your baby if you give him a frozen bagel to avoid him choking on solid, thawed pieces that may fall off. Freeze a small amount of formula or breast milk in an ice-cube tray and offer it to your baby when he is fussy; the cube turns into a cold slush when you place it in his mouth. Rub your baby's gums with slight pressure to provide some relief. Simply holding or rocking your baby may provide enough comfort to ease his fussiness.
